Take a spinnerbait right from the package, cast it out, reel it in, and start catching fish. That works on TV shows and infomercials, and often in real life when conditions are perfect. A spinnerbait comes close to being the best lure for all seasons, but the perfect blade combination for all conditions has yet to be created. As a result, the changing conditions that tournament anglers constantly encounter prompt them to tinker with their baits.

When Alan McGuckin got his start in the lure business in 1997, a mentor gave him some advice about the whims of anglers. “He told me to get used to the fact that you’ll never build a lure to satisfy every angler, and that’s so true,” said McGuckin, public relations and promotions manager for Outdoor Innovations, makers of Terminator spinnerbaits.

If a packaged spinnerbait fails to produce, McGuckin suggests tinkering with the lure to gain confidence with it. “Once you’ve modified it to your liking, your confidence increases,” McGuckin says.

Making the right modifications is a trial-and-error process, and there will be errors, he says. Through experience, you learn that certain blade colors work in certain water colors or weather conditions. You can also increase your catch rate by mixing blade types and sizes to match the situation.

One of McGuckin’s favorite modifications is to replace a spinnerbait’s blades with smaller ones. For him, smaller blades work best in early spring and mid-fall, but he doesn’t make the switch to match the size of the forage. “The trouble with trying to match blade size to prey, is, there are usually several sizes of baitfish available,” he warns.

Instead, fishing pressure causes McGuckin to downsize his blades. He believes a smaller package presents a more subtle, natural look, which draws more strikes from pressured fish.

Blade Tricks

Many professional anglers dote on changing blades to create novel combinations. Texas pro David Wharton seldom uses a spinnerbait straight out of the package. Most of the time, he tinkers with its blades to make a lure run better at different speeds and depths.

Blade Size: “The depth a spinnerbait runs is often critical, and the way to alter the depth a spinnerbait runs is to adjust the relative size of its blades and head. To make it run shallower, put a bigger blade on a small head. Change to a smaller blade on a heavier head to run deeper,” recommends Wharton, winner of four Bassmaster tournaments. “Once you learn how your selection of spinnerbaits behaves and their optimal running depths, you can select the ideal one for the situation at hand, whether it’s wood, weeds, or deep rocks.”

In a lake with plenty of vegetation, Wharton usually wants a spinnerbait to run fast and tick the weedtops, so he combines small blades with a heavier spinnerbait head. To work slowly in deeper open water, the Texas pro combines a lighter body and larger blades.

But an excessively large blade can cause a spinnerbait to roll during the retrieve. Wharton solves this dilemma with a formula: a 1/4-ounce head matches #4 or smaller blades; 3/8-ounce takes #41⁄ 2 or smaller; 1/2- and 3/4-ounce models call for #6 or smaller.

Water clarity also affects Wharton’s selection. “As a rule, the clearer the water, the smaller the spinnerbait you want to use,” Wharton says. In stained or murky water, he selects larger blades, to create more flash and vibration that may trigger strikes where visibility is reduced.

Blade Styles: Changing blade styles also helps Wharton adjust his spinnerbaits to situations. He favors willowleaf blades for fishing in vegetation, since narrow blades pass among weed stalks better than round ones. Tandem willowleaf spinnerbaits also excel for fishing around shallow logs, lay-downs, and willow trees.